


You're All That I Want

by saecchii



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Abuse of italics, Aged-Up Character(s), Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Background Hunk/Keith, Beta Lance (Voltron), Courtship, Getting Together, Gift Fic, Keith Supports Shance, Langst, Light Angst, M/M, Misunderstandings, Mutual Pining, Non-Traditional Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Omega Shiro (Voltron), Pining Lance (Voltron), Rejections, Self-Worth Issues, Shiro is Having None of That, background Heith, but not really, happy endings, hunk - Freeform, keith - Freeform, supportive friends
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-14
Updated: 2017-09-14
Packaged: 2018-12-29 16:52:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,274
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12089259
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/saecchii/pseuds/saecchii
Summary: Lance doesn't think Betas deserve to be with anyone but Betas. Why would an Alpha or an Omega want him? Surprise, an Omega does want him and he won't let some stupid Earth culture stop him.Ft. Omega! Shiro & Beta! Lance





	You're All That I Want

**Author's Note:**

  * For [](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts).



> I'm sorry in advance for being mean to Lance. Also, I Tried™.

It was an Earthly truth that Betas must be with Betas. It was more of a cultural thing, if Lance was being well, _truthful_. Alphas and Omegas belonged together and Betas - belonged with Betas. That's how it was, that's how it should be. That wasn't to say that there weren't the occasional Beta-Omega, Beta-Alpha coupling. But it was always met with such strangeness that Lance always felt the unease it brought deep and wrong in his stomach.

The fake stretch of smiles as they interviewed couples, asking them how they did, if Betas _managed_ to _keep up_ with their partners, if they ever _regretted_ not being with more _compatible_ partners. It was archaic. Things like suppressants and implants and laws for Omega rights and hell, ships going to Kerberos, were a thing now. But apparently not the age old thought that Betas weren't nearly as good a partner as the others. Settling, they said. _A pity_ , they said.

Lance hadn't given much care to being a Beta when he had presented. It was what it was. Hunk was a Beta, too, after all. Neither had begrudged their elder siblings their heats, or their ruts. He could remember Alex’s irritated expression and overall contempt for having to be in heat.

Whatever dumb things were said in schools about “sex crazy heats” or Alphas and their ruts, stupid misconceptions of unpresented brats, Lance knew more as “uncomfortable and moist, and a goddamn inconvenience”, especially when Alex made Lance his errand boy. Elisa only ever got more pissy when her ruts came. And hungry. Three dozen donuts later and Lance was relatively happy he was a Beta.

No, it wasn't until Lance had been launched into space and his silly little admiration-crush on his All Time Hero had turned into full blown love that Lance had really come to feel it.

-

It was more than obvious how over the moon Lance was over Shiro. Anyone with eyes could see the puppy crush he had on the older boy. The way he gravitated towards him, kicked up his bravado a notch, and not-so-subtly inserted himself between Shiro and Keith to capture the former’s attention. Even if the attention was at most a crinkle of Shiro’s eyes or the amused upturn of a smile, and the warm feel of Shiro’s human hand even through the layers of his clothes.

Shiro was everything in a leader Lance could ask for. He was firm and he exuded a clear aura of “I’m in charge”. For all Lance’s bragging, he prefered to follow and support someone who could prove themselves capable of leadership. It was one reason he was equal parts amazed and attracted to Allura. Shiro also had expectations for them, ones that he knew they could achieve, given hard work, practice, teamwork, and perseverance. He led them equal parts with an unshakable will and a truly caring heart. Lance had always felt instantly at ease when Shiro calmed them down, watched the way he took to Pidge, the youngest of them all, and made sure she was okay.

Where Lance had felt fear and inadequacy under Iverson’s watch, Shiro made him feel like flowers were blooming in his chest, a whole garden sprouting through. With every “Good job, Lance”, something new had grown within him.

Lance drank it up. In the middle of the night, he could feel his heart beating erratically in his chest, visions of holding Shiro’s hands in his behind his eyelids. Lance went to sleep, bone tired and miles from home, curled around his pillows and smiling into space cotton imagining his ear pressed to Shiro’s chest.

A crush Lance could quite honestly live with. Lance had had crushes all the time. Falling in infatuation was nothing. If anything, Lance kind of liked the fuzzy feelings it gave him, the sappy daydreams he would get. He didn’t always expect anything out of it anyway. But when one was confined to a strange space castle with only four other humans, two aliens, and a host of angry furries, there wasn’t much chances for fun, fleeting crushes past the occasional pickup  line that only earned him a tug at his armor’s collar. Lance was chatty and extroverted, he lived for these little interactions.

It wasn’t any surprise that Lance had fallen so easily for Shiro.

It hadn’t even registered fully to him until Lance had watched Shiro burn the space cookies in the kitchen where he was helping Hunk, a sheepish, soft smile on his face even as Hunk shook his head in mild disappointment. The only thought Lance had when he looked at the burnt concoction and then at Shiro’s high blush was _this is what I love about him._

“Wait -” Lance had said, frozen.

Shiro and Hunk had looked over at him, both of their brows crooked. Lance watched Shiro’s mouth parting ( _the plump of his lips -)_ and bolted out of the room.

Halfway down the hallway, in the quiet of its dim lights, Lance slowed to a stop. He hunched over and pressed his hands to his chest. His heart was aching to break out, warm against the palms of his hands where Lance almost cradled it. Lance bit into his lip, breathing in deeply. A surge of excitement went through his body like a current. His palms felt sweaty, a slow tingly overtaking his legs like he wanted to run and keep running, full of life. Lance’s mouth parted as he tasted the words threatening to spill out.

“I’m in love with Shiro,” Lance said to himself. “I love him.”

Lance knew there was something painful throbbing at the back of his head. A niggling thing that he knew would ruin all of this. He shoved it back, forced it down, and cradled the feeling closer.

He loved Shiro, and it felt so nice.

-

Lance may not have always been the most observant, sure. He hadn’t figured out Pidge was a girl like the others had, but he did suspect that Pidge may have been a lot like Hunk’s sister Tabby who’d started transitioning a little after they’d come back from winter holidays. So while he was busy noticing all these other little things about people, sure the maybe bigger things kinda got lost along the way.

Lance just didn’t think such a thing concerning Shiro would have missed him.

The _thing_ came full force one slow, sleepy morning.

Shiro had come to breakfast, post Balmera, lowkey irritable and looking like he wanted the universe’s largest stress ball. Lance could see it, subtly as it was, in the squaring of his shoulders and the slight flare of his nose. Shiro could do a pretty good poker face, but even before Lance’s new found feelings, Lance felt pretty confident that he could tell almost as quickly as Keith could when Shiro was off-kilter. Lance had only expected that it was because they had Sendak still in the ship. With Allura recovering from the rejuvenation, it meant they were still housing the creep in the ship. Lance had simply assumed it was his instincts screaming about the intruders of their little ragtag half-formed pack.

Shiro had done little more than grunt out a few good mornings and ate breakfast with everyone, sans Allura who was still recovering and too tired to join them, before he was pushing off and away. Next to him, Keith had a thoughtful, if not worried look on his face. A usual expression if it concerned Shiro. Hunk, who had recently relocated to Keith’s empty side, elbowed him gently. A look passed between them. Keith seemed to relax at that and went back to eating. Even Pidge seemed quizzical, though she did little more than adjust her glasses. Lance wasn’t so satisfied. Lance found himself on his feet and after Shiro before he could think about it, Hunk’s voice trailing after him.

Shiro hadn’t gotten far, almost stomping his way aimlessly down. Lance could feel the frustration at _something_ pouring out of him.

Lance sidled up to Shiro in the hallway, hands in his jacket pockets as he hummed under his breath. Shiro regarded him, the crease of his brow smoothing just a smidge.

“You ok, boss man? You look like Coran’s food goo got you feeling bad,” Lance joked, hoping it would relax Shiro. It did, to Lance’s joy.

“No, nothing like that. My heat is starting,” Shiro answered casually. He had said it the way one might talk about the weather. Which, well, it was normal, so why not.

But Shiro having a heat meant -

Lance felt himself stop even as Shiro kept walking and talking. “It's always coming up at the worst times. Hope we don't get attacked while Allura is also down for the count.”

Shiro looked over, not seeing Lance and startled. He looked back at his prone figure, and the clear shock on his face. Shiro furrowed his brow.

“You're an Omega??” Lance screeched.

“Well, yeah? I thought you knew? Everyone at the Garrison knew.”

“Wha - but - _how?”_

Shiro cracked a smile, one that made Lance warm from head to toe.

“Well, you see, usually when you turn sixteen, your body goes through this change -”

Lance threw his hands up. “I know _how_ but - but - but -you - _how?”_

Shiro didn’t look like he understood. Lance huffed, trying to gather his quickly fraying thoughts. The niggling in his head was growing louder.

“I - I thought maybe you were, you know, like an Alpha, or like, a Beta like me and Hunk?” Lance told him.

Shiro made an “aha” face in understanding. “Well, I guess I can see what you mean. I’ve been told I’m kind of Alpha-ish. But I think that’s just how anyone would be if they were leader, minus their dynamic.”

Lance nodded mutely and scuffed his shoe. Awkwardly he asked, “Is there, uh, anything I - or -or any of us can, you know, do for you?”

“During my heat? No I don’t think so. I already finished my nest. I just need to collect up on food for a bit and tell Allura she’s not the only one who's going to be bedridden for a while,” Shiro joked.

“Heh, yeah. Maybe you two can bunk down together,” Lance joked back weakly.

Shiro chuckled, taking the bait. “That’s not a bad idea. We can complain about how troublesome you guys can be together.”

Shiro reached out and took Lance’s shoulder in his hand. A soft smile stretched across his face, one that made Lance want to bend over backwards and get Shiro every little thing he wanted. As if that had been different before.

(Yet somehow, deep inside, he knew it was.)

“I don’t know if you know this, Lance, but you really helped me out. Heat always makes me kind of cranky, and you always know how to get me back down again. So thanks,” Shiro said, sincere. “Too bad you weren’t around for my other heats, huh?’

Lance swallowed, hoping his blush wasn’t obvious. “Well, I’m here now,” He croaked.

Shiro squeezed his shoulder and headed down the corridor, probably to his room. When Shiro’s footsteps had stopped echoing, Lance sunk to his knees. He touched his shoulder and let the _thing_ overtake him.

Shiro was an Omega.

Lance was a Beta.

Shiro was off limits.

-

Keith was an Alpha. It was no wonder with Shiro’s heat isolation he was going to get antsy. He trained a little harder in the training room, stared in worry at Shiro’s empty seat, and generally was more fussy on the others.Otherwise, Lance supposed he was the still same moody Keith. What Lance didn’t really get was why Hunk was suddenly always where Keith was. But, if anything, it made Keith a lot calmer during Shiro’s absence. Lance was pretty grateful after Keith had glared at him during dinner and nagged at him to eat up. Stupid Alpha instincts.

But then that was what probably made Keith such a great Alpha, Lance surmised. He was hot-headed and impulsive sure, but Lance also knew Keith to be protective and good-natured. Otherwise, he and Hunk wouldn’t have moved every star in the galaxy to make sure everyone who wasn’t on bed rest was either slacking off or getting into trouble. It was one thing Lance had admired about Keith. For all his hard-headed, hotshot ways, he had a good heart. It was probably why Hunk had quickly gotten over his initial fear about Keith’s standoffish aura and was always so pressed up against his side. (No doubt assuring him Shiro wasn’t like dying alone he was just in heat.)

Keith would make some Omega very happy, Lance concluded. Keith could make _Shiro_ very happy.

Alphas and Omegas were the truest matches. It was biology that said that they belonged together, maybe even the universe. How could Lance fight that?

Keith was already getting pretty good practice on them. Shiro would swoon in no time.

Keith could fuss over Shiro, protect him (not that Shiro really needed it), and he was goddamn Alpha. It was a match made from the start.

Lance couldn’t help but sink into himself at that. All the flurry of sweetness and excitement that came from his feelings at Shiro had begun to tinge sourly within him. From the start, Lance had never had a chance. The universe was probably watching this whole time, watching Lance’s stupid feelings develop, attach themselves to Shiro, knowing full well Lance was never meant to do more than look at Shiro like he hung the stars in every galaxy. The entire time, it knew Lance’s feelings were all for naught, because Lance had been born not good enough. Not at the Garrison, and not for Shiro.

It weighed heavily on him as Shiro’s heat dragged on. He ate with the team, but it was more out of habit than anything. After the first few times Keith had tried to rile him up into eating through friendly competition, he had simply fallen silent under Hunk’s touch and they left Lance be. They both hovered though, Lance could feel it. Could feel their furrowed brows and waiting questions. Most times now, Hunk and Keith would squish him up between them, looking not-so-discreetly over his head as they did whatever it was they did. Even Pidge would find herself relocated just a few feet from Lance, if only so he wouldn’t be alone in his misery.

When Shiro’s heat had passed, and even Allura had regained strength, they had come to breakfast, looking relieved to be out and about for once. Lance could do little but plaster on a smile and welcome them back. At the corner of his eye, he could see the lines of Keith’s shoulders relax, his body tilting just so towards Hunk who tilted in, too. Breakfast was the usual affair, but Lance still felt wrong.

Afterwards when they had all dispersed, Allura convinced to allow them just one more day free of training, Shiro had come up to Lance in the hallways. He sidled up to him, a little too familiarly, grinning softly.

“Your advice really worked you know,” Shiro started casually. “Allura and I had a kind of sleepover through my heat.”

Lance swallowed. “That so? Share any good tea together?”

Shiro laughed; a breathy, pretty sound. Lance could almost feel the tickle of his breath right next to him, Shiro’s arms brushing against his. He could have sworn the hallways were much bigger than this? Shiro hummed before replying.

“Here and there. Allura’s almost as nosy as Hunk,” Shiro said. “But it really helped. Heats while I was a galra prisoner were really tough. I was alone for almost all of them, if  I wasn’t fighting in the gladiator ring.”

Lance looked up at Shiro, searching his face for he didn’t know what. Shiro smiled lopsidedly, rubbing the back of his neck.

“Shiro,” Lance tried.

“It’s nice to not be alone. Allura said she wouldn’t mind another sleepover when my heat comes. But I’m kind of hoping that she’s not the only one I can turn to,” Shiro told him, eyes clear and beautifully brown as he looked back at Lance.

It was a lot to take in. Something like a secret that only Lance should know. Shiro had said Allura was nosy like Hunk, though whether that meant she was also kind of loose-lipped like Hunk he didn’t know. Maybe that’s why he had come to Lance? He wanted someone else to spend his heat with. He wanted -

Lance looked away as the realization bubbled up viciously inside of him. He knew who Shiro wanted. He couldn’t fault Shiro for coming to him. There weren’t a lot of people in the entirety of the ship. Lance just didn’t understand why out of everyone it had be him of all people.

The universe was kind of cruel.

Lance looked back at Shiro, at the tiny crack of uncertainty on his face. His gaze was so intent, Lance almost couldn’t muster up his lie. Lance plastered on a smile, hoping he could at least fake ease enough to rid Shiro of that expression.

“I’m sure you’ll have no trouble finding _someone_ next time,” Lance said, voice wavering a bit.

The crack didn’t fade from Shiro’s expression, but he accepted it nonetheless. He nodded at Lance, briefly touching Lance’s shoulder before he was walking off. Towards the training room.

Lance turned away before he could let his mind dwell too long on it.

-

It was hard not to dwell on how Shiro couldn’t be his when Shiro was the one orbiting in and around Lance like a lost moon tethered in by the nearest planet.

He called to him more in the mornings, went out of his way to ask some little tidbit that Lance couldn’t help rambling on about. In the halls, more often than not, Lance had company, had the gentle brush of Shiro’s fingers against the backs of his hands as they headed to their rooms. They rambled about anything. Lance had never known Shiro to be so easy to talk to. The way he separated leadership and friendship were clear. Work was work. But when the armor and simulations were done, it gave way to a wholly different Shiro. One who liked dumb jokes and pickup lines, and had even out-memed Lance.

A few times, Shiro had dropped a few knick knacks from planets into Lance’s hands. The pleasant curve of his lips as he told Lance that he had thought of him when he’d seen it. Anything from mood crystals to space snow-globes, Lance now had an entire shelf dedicated to Shiro’s little gifts.

Now, too, he was slapping _Lance’s_ back not Keith’s when they were parking their lions back in the hangars, a successful mission or training done well. (Instead, Hunk was drawing Keith in under his arm.)

The feel of Shiro’s fingers almost seemed to linger along his back. The way he looked over his shoulder at Lance almost coy as he grinned at him, then told the team how well they had done. It did nothing good for Lance’s heart.

Which was why Lance had had to go out of his way to try and be everywhere Shiro was not. He couldn’t let himself get used to this. If he did, once Shiro and Keith got together like he knew they would, it would hurt so much more.

It was for Shiro’s own good, Lance thought.

God, did it hurt, though.

Shiro was a lot more stubborn than Lance realized.

When there was sparring during training, Shiro immediately went for Lance asking to be his partner. Hunk himself had magically made a beeline for Keith, something about how Keith wouldn’t hold back on him, so he knew he would improve. Keith seemed a little smug when he agreed. Made sense, Lance thought.

So then why wasn’t Shiro sparring with Allura who was the highest level out of all of them, maybe minus Coran? Obviously Lance and Pidge would then be next in line to spar.  Lance had said as much to Shiro after the first few times he’d switched out from fighting Keith. A weird little fall at the corner of Shiro’s mouth would appear before it was gone again. Shiro had brushed it off, said something leaderly about how Allura’s fighting style was better suited for Pidge, especially weapons wise, and that next to Keith, Shiro was great at hand-to-hand, which Lance really needed. Before he could ask, as well, Shiro said that Hunk’s superior strength would be a good challenge for Keith. Besides, Allura was more than happy to train with Pidge, a sparkle of glee in her eye that was entirely too cute.

Lance could only swallow his tongue and agree.

Shiro didn’t pull punches, but he also seemed more intent on eating up the distance between them, forcing Lance to think too quick on his feet, rely on impulse and instinct to block and strike back. The head of Shiro’s palms, the curve of his strong shoulders and his Omega scent, sweet honey and cinnamon making Lance dizzy. He was gulping for water before anyone had even sat down.

Shiro didn’t sit off to the side with Keith anymore. He plopped down with Lance. He beamed at him, complimented his progress, smiled at him. Lance couldn’t wrap his head around it.

Was he too shy to be around Keith now or something? After admitting that he was looking for someone special to maybe be with him during his next heat, one that didn’t involve galra and carnage, was Shiro finally letting that little romantic part of him bloom or something? Shiro was always so surprising, Lance couldn’t help the wave of affection in him. It warred with the sickness roiling inside of him. He was like a boat caught in a storm, the wood at his back, splintering.

Betas were always considered to be the - safest for either dynamic to be around. There was no feeling of competition that they might steal a potential mate. Maybe Shiro -?

No, even Shiro wasn’t that cruel. Maybe he didn’t even realize he was doing it. That hurt a lot more than Lance had even realized.

“Maybe you and I can train more alone some time?” Shiro quietly asked him, snapping Lance from his thoughts.

Lance blinked up at him, the straw of his water pouch dangling from his bottom lip. Shiro sucked in his lips, eyes searching Lance’s. He was doing that a lot lately. The hope that spread across Shiro’s face made Lance ache, nearly made him cave.

“I’ll think about it,” Lance said instead. Weakly he added, “Can’t give up my beauty regime you know? How else will alien babes we meet fall for me?”

Shiro exhaled, everything about him blank. He looked away from Lance, and said, “Yeah. Yeah, I know.”

-

The scent of an unhappy Omega was the first thing to greet Lance when he came out of his door in the morning. It was muted, but he could whiff the faint trail of it from a few doors down. From Shiro’s door.

That was odd.

Lance wanted to go to him, ask him through the door what was wrong. He didn’t, however. He wasn’t the one Shiro wanted, much less needed if he was feeling so privately low.

He was just about to step back when he collided right into Keith. Lance hadn’t even heard when the other boy had come out of his room. Keith glanced over his shoulder, nostrils flaring before he was settling his gaze back on Lance.

“Aren’t you going to go to him?” Keith asked.

“Who?” Lance asked. “...Shiro?”

Keith scowled, arms automatically crossing. “Obviously. I know your scent isn’t as strong as mine, but I also know you can smell him. He’s upset. Go do something.”

“Do what?” Lance said, exasperated. “I’m not exactly getting where any of this is going.”

Keith bared his teeth, a deep growl rising up from his chest as he force Lance back against the hallway wall. No part of him touched Lance except for the tips of his shoes as he stared Lance down. The edge of Keith’s Alpha Voice were threatening to bleed into his tone.

“Because this is your fault!” Keith cried. He jabbed a finger into Lance’s chest. “ _You’re_ the reason Shiro’s been so sad lately!”

“Like heck I am! I haven’t even done anything,” Lance yelled back, slapping Keith’s hand away.

“Exactly,” Keith growled. “You haven’t done _anything._ He’s been so obvious this whole time, and yet here you still are, with your head up your butt.”

“If i’m messing up so much, then why don’t you go do something, huh, Keith?” Lance hissed back. “You’re gonna be his alpha aren’t you? What the hell could I possibly say or do that would even remotely help him?”

Keith’s eyes blew wide, enough to actually force him to step back. He looked Lance over, stared so long and hard Lance had thought he’d broken the other boy. Keith shook his head, eyes slowly narrowing once again. The tips of his teeth peeked from his lips. Keith’s bedroom door swished open as Keith advanced on him again.

“Oh my god, you are the _dumbest -_ ”

“Keith!” Hunk called, grabbing Keith by his the back of his jacket. He pulled him against his chest, big arms holding Keith down. “Cut it out, dude!”

Keith struggled, legs kicked out in the air as Hunk lifted him off the ground, putting distance between them and Lance. Lance looked between the door and Hunk, lost.

Hunk was wearing his yellow lion slippers, and his headband and gloves were missing.

“Let me go, Hunk! He’s so stupid, I swear! And Shiro has to pay for it!” Keith seethed. “I’m going to kick his butt then I’m going to shove him in the healing pod so I can do it again!”

“Hey, no, what did we talk about? No butt-kicking on the fly. We gotta think before we fight. Right, rriiight?” Hunk coaxed.

Keith mumbled something that sounded a bit like _yeah_.

Surprisingly, all the heat that had wound Keith up had slowly begun to flee from him. Lance watched as he slumped, hung limply in Hunk’s grip, even as he lazily glared at Lance. Hunk petted his hair, a faint shushing sound under his breath. Then he was turning his attention to Lance.

“Buddy, what’s going on?” Hunk prompted.

“Keith’s mad at me because Shiro’s upset even though it’s not my fault,” Lance told him lamely. “Tell him he’s wrong.”

Hunk moved Keith up under one of his arms, kind of like one would hold a puppy. Keith didn’t even seem to care, fingers curling around Hunk’s belt loops absently. What the actual -

“Actually Lance - He’s right. It, uh, it is your fault,” Hunk said.

“WHAT?” Lance screeched. “ _How_?”

Hunk beckoned him over and set Keith on his feet. He put a hand to each of their shoulders, pushing down so that they sat on the floor, then sat with them, too. Keith immediately fell against Hunk’s side.

“Well, Shiro’s been upset you’ve been rejecting him. So, yeah, it really is your fault,” Hunk told him bluntly. “But uh, I’m sure it’s nothing a good heart to heart and some food goo can’t fix? Yay?”

Lance’s mouth hung open. “What do you mean rejecting him? I haven’t been rejecting him?”

“Yes you have,” Keith muttered. “He’s literally been courting you for months now and you’ve rejected almost each and every time. He thought that maybe he just had to stick it through, but then when it seemed you were budging, he just gave up.”

“Wh-Why would he be courting _me?_ I’m a Beta,” Lance asked, voice small.

“So?” Hunk and Keith said.

A shot of anger flooded into Lance. What did they mean so? Wasn’t it obvious? Lance was a Beta? Courtship between them wasn’t even something that should have been an option.

“Because Shiro is an _Omega_ ,” Lance tried again.

“SO,” Hunk and Keith said louder.

“Omegas belong with Alphas, everyone knows that!” Lance found himself yelling. A flash of shame and embarrassment seared through him, burned its way along his ribcage. It was one thing to say this to himself in the confines of his mind. But to blurt it out like this to Hunk and Keith, it felt awful. “Betas only belong with Betas, everyone knows that, too!”

“Alphas, Betas, and Omegas can be with anyone they dang well feel like,” Keith hissed. “What kind of crap are you even going on about?”

“Don’t tell me you don’t know that’s true? Everyone says so. All my mom ever talked about to Alex was how he needed a big, caring Alpha to take care of him. Or, or how Elisa only dated Omegas. Back me up Hunk, you know this, too,” Lance rambled.

“Why should Shiro be upset about me? Keith’s supposed to be his Alpha, that’s how it works!”

“Well, no, Keith’s not gonna be Shiro’s Alpha because he’s my Alpha,” Hunk stated, casually, like he was talking about the weather. “Uh, surprise?”

“WHAT? When did this happen?” Lance sputtered. “You can _do_ that?”

Hunk clamped a hand over Keith’s mouth when he made to retort. He held up his other hand, one eye closed as he tried to think back on a mental calendar.

“Uhhh, four months ago, and yeah, you totally can,” Hunk told him.

“Hunk,” Lance tried weakly. “Just that’s not how things are.”

“Well maybe things are wrong Lance. Things change, you know? What we used to think was right becomes different, too,” Hunk gently told him.

He laid a hand to his friend’s shoulder. Lance almost forgot how comforting Hunk’s touch could be. The hidden strength that hid under his gentle large hands reminded Lance of Shiro.

“I was uncertain too at first. When Keith was courting me,” Hunk admitted. He rested his other hand in Keith’s lap, holding his boyfriend’s hand. “But we talked about it. We realized our feelings mean more than any thing people on Earth may think. People get together no matter what their dynamic. But just because some windbags don’t like it doesn’t mean it’s wrong.”

Lance rested his cheek to the back of Hunk’s hand. Hunk squeeze his shoulder and didn’t retract his hand, letting Lance have the moment.

“Lance,” Keith piped in. He reached over and touched Lance’s knee gently. “We’re not on Earth anymore.”

“Go talk to Shiro. I think it will be good for you both,” Keith added.

He and Hunk rose to their feet then took a hold of each of Lance’s hand and pulled him to stand. Hunk turned him to face the direction of Shiro’s room and nudged him forward.

With an exhale, Lance began walking.

-

The closer Lance got to Shiro’s door, the stronger the scent of distressed Omega became. It was a bitter scent tinged with an obvious aura of sadness. It felt far too familiar that it made Lance’s throat dry and uncomfy. Tentatively, he knocked on the door.

“Shiro? It’s me, Lance. Can I come in?” Lance called.

A tinge of surprise and further distress curled along Shiro’s scent, but no answer came. Lance wanted to leave, wanted to run back down the hall. He forced his legs to stay put, strained his ears to pick out Shiro’s voice. After what felt like an eternity, Shiro finally told him, “come in”.

The door whooshed open and Lance stepped in, huddled by the door.

There in the bed was Shiro, only in a white tank-top and his sheets pooling around his lap. He looked tired, even in the dim lighting of his room. Lance shoved his hands into his pockets, unsure of where to start.

“Did you need something?” Shiro asked, voice raspy.

“Yeah, I, uh, I wanted to talk to you. I think a lot of wires got crossed between us,” Lance said, trying to smile.

“Yeah, like what?” Shiro cautiously asked. His scent curled into a wariness.

“Well to put it the way _someone_ told me - I’ve had my head up my butt,” Lance said. “Like, really really far up there.”

“That so?” Shiro said dryly. “What made up shove it up there?”

Lance swallowed. He twisted the fabric of his pockets with his fingers nervously. He stared resolutely at the floor, afraid looking at Shiro would make him chicken out.

“I didn’t know you were courting me,” Lance admitted. “This whole time I thought maybe you were just misplacing your feelings or something on me because you were like too shy to go after Keith.”

“ _Keith_? Why Keith?” Shiro cut in incredulously.

“Because he’s an Alpha and you’re an Omega. I thought that meant that you guys, you know, were meant for each other.”

“Just because of our dynamics? Lance - “

“I know, I know. But listen. Where I’m from, heck, what we see and here _everywhere_ , they never really give you a lot of positive feelings about this. Betas go with Betas. They aren’t good enough for Alphas or Omegas, they can’t satisfy them like the others,” Lance continued. “I didn’t think I was good enough for you.”

“Lance. You don’t even know,” Shiro murmured.

Lance kicked air, trying to smile under the dim lightly. He heard Shiro moving about on his bed the creek of it as he stood up, still away from Lance.

“Keith told me that we aren’t on Earth anymore,” Lance stated simply.

“He’s right. We’re not. We’re in space, Lance. Earth laws kind of don’t apply,” Shirro said.

He took a hesitant step towards Lance then another. Lance slowly looked up at him, searching out Shiro’s dark brown eyes. He watched them burning in the low lighting focused on Lance, always Lance. Lance took his hands from out of his pockets.

“I can’t give you what you want,” Lance whispered. “I’m a Beta.”

Shiro crept closer, the quiet shuffle of his feet on the room floor. Lance felt himself walking forward, too, unable to hold himself back anymore. He was just a few short steps from Shiro. The honey-sweet scent Shiro usually exuded was slowly seeping into the room. Lance had missed it so much.

“How do you know what I want? Maybe what I want is you, dynamic or not.”

Shiro reached out for Lance. Took his hand in his, ran a thumb over the backs of them. Pulled him forward slowly, slowly, until their toes touched. Shiro’s hands ran up the length of Lance’s arms, cupping his elbows.

“You make me feel so at ease, Lance. I never knew I could feel like this after - after everything. You make me laugh, you always have a story to tell and I can’t help but listen,” Shiro told him.

He cupped Lance’s cheek. Lance laid his hands to Shiro’s chest, sniffled. Shuffled closer still.

“I didn’t fall in love with you because you’re a Beta. I fell in love with you because you’re _Lance_ ,” Shiro murmured.

Lance curled his hands into the thin straps of Shiro’s tank top, the lines of Shiro’s scars and Lance’s brown skin vibrant against each other.

“I have an alien arm, and we both pilot giant alien robot cats. I don’t think us being together is all that strange in the long run. What do you think?”

Lance laid a thumb to Shiro’s chin, brushed against he plump of his bottom lip like he had ached to do. He shuddered out a breath, feeling Shiro’s grip tighten pleasantly against him.

“I think you should kiss me,” Lance whispered.

Shiro took both of Lance’s cheeks in hand, tilted his head up and kissed him. He pressed against him gently, sweet and sure, allowed Lance to savor this, know it was real. When they pulled away, it was Lance that was surging up again, kissing Shiro, moving his lips against the other boy’s, enjoying the way they seemed to slot together perfectly. They walked backwards towards the bed, falling against it, against each other, and kissed again. It felt right, so, so right. It felt like the surge of excitement Lance had first experienced when he’d learned to swim, touched seawater and never wanted to leave. Beneath his fingers was Shiro, Shiro, Shiro.

Shiro rolled them over, tucked Lance against him. He clung to him, long, strong legs locking around Lance’s waist, and his arms bracketing Lance’s back so he couldn’t ever squirm away. Lance wouldn’t, not now, not ever.

"We'll talk about this," Shiro said between kisses. he bent his head to nip at Lance's jaw. "We'll have to. I know this isn't something you can unlearn with a few kisses."

Lance whimpered, gripping at Shiro's hair as one of his teeth scraped just right against his collarbones. He pulled away and made to do the same to Shiro. he drank in his pretty scent and his hot touch.

"We will. I swear we will. For now, please, let's just - this, please," Lance breathed.

Lance kissed along Shiro's neck, his jaw, burrowed against him. His Beta scent wasn’t nearly as strong, but it would be there, it would coat along Shiro’s skin, mix along with his own scent until everyone knew he was _Lance’s_ just like he was Shiro’s. He scratched along Shiro’s undercut, peppered kisses all over his face.

“I can’t believe I was going to let this go,” Lance said between kisses. “Never again. Never, never, never.”

Shiro buried his nose against the side of Lance’s neck, inhaled deeply and swore he’d never let Lance let go either.

**Author's Note:**

> gift fic/fic trade for Jas. Might have a smut sequel. Might have a Heith sequel.
> 
> Giant word dump ahead:
> 
> This was a challenge because the entire plot and idea were there but when I went to write ----- nothing. I wanted to do things a little different. originally it was just gonna be scenting and cuddling (as Jas wanted) but it evolved rather quickly out of control when I began to think on it. I don't see a lot of Beta Lances (though i admit to being weak for Omega Lance) and there's always room for more Omega Shiros.
> 
> As for smut sequel...just know that they're switches :]c. 
> 
> Hunk & Lance are Betas. Keith is an Alpha. Shiro is an Omega. Pidge is un-presented, but she'll be a Beta when she does. Allura & Coran don't have dynamics, but Allura is considered by them to be an Alpha, if not Alpha Prime, and Coran is Beta. 
> 
> I'm lit winging this ABO thing lmaoo. So, I just throw in whatever i want. holes in my abo logic?? more likely than you think. 
> 
> I know I talked a lot about Keith in terms of a shance fic, but its more fodder for Lance to 1. compare himself to even though I hope I made it obvious that Shiro is into Lance not Keith despite his skewed view, 2. that its coming from a place of jealousy and admiration because they've become pretty good friends in this fic universe. I also made sure to includ Hunk where Keith is concerned to be like "ok, but he's clearly not interested in Shiro, lmaoo" to weigh against Lance's blindness to what's there. 
> 
> ERM, am I making sense??
> 
> I had already wanted Hunk&Keith when I got the plot going. Keith's an alpha who likes betas, and just generally doesn't see Shiro romantically, dynamics be damned, he was always gonna just do whatever he wanted anyway. Shiro's an omega who likes anyone who gets his heart a-fluttering. So everyone's kinda "non-traditional" in terms of the in-fic universe cultural abo bs. they're all bi-bi-bi because I can do that ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯
> 
> Hunk's a little different than both Keith and Lance. He's somewhere in the middle I think. He's got a head full of abo earth culture bs, but he's also in space so he comes to the conclusion, with some encouragement from Keith (who totally initiated bc he's keith) to consider that things back on earth are --->bs. Pidge always knew they were bs, and she's not near presenting so it really doesn't concern her lmaoo.
> 
> Lance comes from a place/grew up in place where these things were kinda just ingrained into him, unfortunately (in fic universe) so it's a little harder for him to let go. But then he gives love a shance, so
> 
> Hope you like it Jas


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